Tag Archives: DIY

Yes, it’s true. I used to be an extreme couponer. I spent hours each week clipping, organizing, planning, and executing my multiple-transaction purchases. I had enough deodorant, shampoo, hair dye, toothpaste, and non-perishable food products to last me a good 3 years.

When you make your own toothpaste and deodorant because you are concerned about toxic chemical overload, $0.25 toothpaste isn’t a draw anymore. And unfortunately, most places don’t have extreme coupon scenarios for their coconut oil.

Here are 6 things I’ve learned since transitioning to the bright side:

Occasionally, there are coupons for organic produce. I have found coupons for organic salad greens, nuts, peppers, and more. I have also written to companies and they have sent me coupons for free products as well as $ off coupons. Target’s Cartwheel app also frequently has deals on produce.

Organic is becoming more widespread, so places like WalMart and Aldi now carry organic produce, organic/gluten-free boxed food, and even organic coconut oil! At my last trip to Aldi I noticed they have a bag of organic quinoa for less than $3. Brilliance, I tell you.

It is much more convenient to make your own care products than to spend hours searching for free toothpaste. Because after so many hours of clipping/planning/driving/shopping, was it really free? I discovered a couple one-time investments in ingredients made it possible for me to mix up toothpaste for myself and my husband for two years! Plus when you realize at 11pm that you’re out of toothpaste, it’s much faster to mix up a quick batch than to get dressed, run to the store, pick out the toothpaste, drive back from the store, brush your teeth, and get back in your pajamas. Just sayin.

I can use the creativity and problem solving skills I learned while planning my coupon trips to find creative ways to save on organic food. For example, I learned to buy organic for free.

Use coupons for other things. I still use coupons for clothes, books, toys, and everything else. Just not to the extreme, because I do not need 10 bath towels.

In Liz Wolfe’s book, Skintervention, she suggests eating something fermented every day to improve gut health. So, in keeping with her “improve gut health and you will improve skin health” philosophy, I have braved the world of fermentables.

Why would you eat moldy foods?

First off, no, I do not eat moldy foods. There is a difference between “moldy” and “fermented”. And thank goodness there are more options than just pickles or sauerkraut. Foods can be fermented by using some sort of starter. I make beet kvass with a whey starter (or you could also use a whole lot of salt) and kombucha with a SCOBY.

Foods that have been fermented by bacteria and yeast are especially good for the gut lining because as they eat the sugar of whatever you are fermenting, they produce probiotics. You’ve heard that it’s good eat yogurt when taking antibiotics because the yogurt has the “good bacteria.” Antibiotics don’t play favorites; they are created to kill everything. Good news if you’re sick, bad news if you want to stay healthy.

There is a battle in your belly.

Think of it this way: there is a limited amount of food that all the bacteria in your gut lining can eat. (in case you were wondering, there are about about 3 pounds worth of bacteria living inside of you…but maybe don’t dwell on that). If there are more good guys (bacteria that are supposed to be there) to eat the food than bad guys (disease-carrying germs that make you sick), then the bad guys starve. Therefore, being careful to maintain a diet with lots of probiotics that add to the naturally-occuring good bacteria in your intestinal lining is vital to overall health.

What foods are good?

Personally, I’m not a sauerkraut fan, and everyone who knows me know my distain for pickles. Instead, I have a continuous brew kombucha system on my counter and have recently started making beet kvass. Both of these are very low maintenance. Both of these projects are easy to do, and the benefits are visible. I started drinking these consistently about a month ago, and as I was walking into my third night shift in a row a few weeks ago I noticed that I felt very alert and energetic. I don’t usually sleep well on night shift and I hadn’t had any extra coffee. The only thing that I’ve changed was the increased probiotics.

How to make continuous brew kombucha:

Instructions:

Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil. Remove from heat, steep tea bags 10-15 minutes. Remove tea bags and add sugar, mixing until dissolved. Pour into drink dispenser. Add second gallon of water (this speeds up the cooling process). Pour in bottle of store-bought kombucha. Cover opening with cloth, let sit in warm area at least 5 days. After 5-7 days, dispense most liquid into bottles, leaving 1-2 cups as your “starter” for the next round. Repeat all previous steps (except now there is no need for store-bought kombucha).

If you like flavored kombucha, now is the time to add the different options! My favorites are lemon juice, ginger juice, and whole blackberries. Close the bottles and let sit for another 5-7 days. This develops the delicious “fizz” that makes kombucha seem like a healthy soda alternative!